Two A-list centers Lakers can sign in free agency to help Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers’ season ended with a second-round sweep, leaving the center position as one of the biggest question marks, like last season. While Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood provided depth, neither fits the profile needed for championship contention, nor do they provide what Luka Doncic actually needs to compete at the highest level. 

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Doncic led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game this season before an injury ended his postseason early, and the front office knows the supporting cast still has a ceiling problem.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that there are several restricted free agents the Lakers have done their due diligence on, naming two specifically who «would satisfy Doncic’s directive to secure an A-list center»: Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren and Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler. 

The Lakers’ center problem isn’t new. It started when they traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks to get Doncic. Insider Jovan Buha revealed back in January that Doncic personally named both players during a meeting with the front office in Rob Pelinka’s office when asked which centers he wanted to play with.

Duren, 22 is the flashier of the two options. He averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 65.0% shooting across 70 games this season, earning an All-Star and All-NBA Third Team selection as Detroit finished as the No. 1 seed in the East.

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Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, he is still expected to command a contract approaching $40 million annually. Detroit plans to match outside offers to keep him paired with Cade Cunningham.

Kessler, 24, offers a defensive-minded alternative. Before a torn labrum ended his season after just five games, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and three assists while shooting 70.3%. His elite rim protection and vertical spacing might actually make him a cleaner overall fit next to Doncic. 

Kessler rejected a five-year, $140 million offer from the Jazz, though rival executives still expect Utah to match any outside offer sheet to avoid losing him for nothing. 

The Lakers have nearly $50 million in cap space this summer, making them one of the few teams capable of forcing a difficult financial decision on Detroit or Utah. If Duren or Kessler want to maximize their leverage during contract negotiations, the Lakers are the most credible outside bidder on the market.

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